Lost Cause
by Red Witch
Summary: After a near tragic event Goose ponders the differences between himself and Kilbane and why they are so very different.


**Here's another disclaimer Kilbane blasted apart saying that I don't own any Galaxy Rangers characters. Just another fic from Goose's point of view. **

**Lost Cause**

Looking back on it now I can't believe how stupid I was. It was so obvious but I still believed. I still had hope.

I should have known better.

It all started when the Rangers had some time off after a rough mission. The Captain thought it would be a good idea if we all went for a ride in the canyons on Planet Colorado with the kids. He invited me and Billy along with his kids.

It was a wonderful day. We had our robo steeds, Zach's kids had robo steeds of their own and Billy rode his winged horse Sundancer. The plan was for us to ride a while and have a picnic. Of course plans have a way of getting changed on us.

I was so happy riding with Billy and the others. I never should have let my guard down. Billy and I were just enjoying ourselves so much we went a bit further ahead than the others.

The next thing we knew the two of us ran smack dab into four very unwelcome faces. Kilbane, Brainchild, Jackhammer and Gravestone. Apparently there was some miner that had found a secret cache of star stones and they were trying to rob him.

Before I knew it somehow Kilbane had managed to grab a hold of Billy off of Sundancer. It figures. Kilbane knew he was no match for me so he had to hide behind a kid. "Looks like your little friend is about to become buzzard meat!" He laughed as he held Billy over a large cliff.

There was no other option. There was only one thing I could do.

"Kilbane he's **Max's son!"** I shouted.

That startled them. "Sawyer had a kid?" Brainchild blinked. "Hey now that I got a good look at him he does look a little like Sawyer."

"Smells like him too," Gravestone scratched his head.

"What are **you **doing with Sawyer's kid?" Kilbane snapped.

"They got him Kilbane," I told him. "I couldn't get to him in time."

I didn't need to explain who 'they' were to the Supertroopers. "I heard about that," Jackhammer frowned. "Word was that Brappo got him."

"Please we all know that's a load of hooey," Brainchild scoffed.

"Who's 'they'?" Billy asked.

"The people that got your old man fired and branded him a traitor because he liked Supertroopers," Jackhammer explained. "This kind of changes things Kilbane. I mean him being Max's kid and all."

"I liked Max," Even Gravestone looked concerned. "He was nice to me and gave me lots of animal crackers."

"You know Kilbane being Max's son and all he might know things," Brainchild thought quickly. I could see it in his eyes. "You know a lot of stuff your old man was working on, don't you kid?"

"Yeah, I know things," Billy caught on.

"See we can use him Kilbane," Brainchild said. "He's more valuable to us alive than dead."

"So what if he is Max's brat?" Kilbane hissed. "Who cares? I'd be fun to see the look on the Runt's face as he goes splat on the rocks!"

The other Supertroopers were shocked. Max Sawyer had raised them and treated them with the only bit of kindness they had ever known. He was the closest thing to sacred to any Supertrooper. They were too afraid of Kilbane to directly challenge him but on the other hand they didn't want their mentor's kid to die. They said nothing but looked at him in bewilderment.

Which meant it was up to me.

"Kilbane how could you to that to Max? He got you off the **list**," I told him, reminding him of a time when he nearly died. "Don't you remember?"

"Yeah, so?" Kilbane gave me a look.

"Is this how you want to repay him?" I asked. "You loved Max and he loved you."

That was when Kilbane gave me a very cold look. "He loved **you** more," He growled.

And he let Billy go right over the edge of the cliff.

"KILBANE!" I heard Brainchild shriek with shock as I dove after Billy. "ARE YOU NUTS?"

None of the other Supertroopers stopped me as I dove after Billy. I heard them screaming something but I didn't pay attention. The only thing that mattered to me was saving Billy. I pressed my arms close to me, trying to will myself to fall faster than Billy.

I barely managed to grab him and touch my badge in time for me to use my bio defenses. The skin on my arms and legs grew like that of a flying squirrel so I could slow down my fall.

It was only by a miracle we landed safely on the ground.

I remember hearing blaster fire above us. At first I thought it was Kilbane trying to take potshots at me but then I realized it was Zachery. He must have caught up with us and chased off the Supertroopers.

"Are you all right?" I asked Billy.

"Yeah…" Billy was a bit shaken but otherwise fine. "I think so."

"Don't ever scare me like that again! I lost Max," I pulled him tightly to me. "I won't lose you too."

I felt something inside me break down. Pain, loss, remorse, fear, anger, confusion, relief all rolled into one. I remembered Max's death vividly. I didn't cry then. I couldn't cry. Supertroopers don't cry. Even before my training fully kicked in I never cried in front of anyone. I think I only cried a few times in my life when I wasn't being gassed or had KP Duty peeling onions. Even then it was always only when I was completely alone and no one could see.

But at that moment I felt a single tear leak out of my right eye. For a Supertrooper, that's the equivalent of an emotional breakdown. But I didn't care. I had almost lost the only link I had left to Max and it scared the hell out of me.

I know I should have been stronger, but I couldn't help it. Lately I've noticed that I've become more emotional. It's getting harder to hide my feelings. The more time I spend around humans…The more human I had become.

Acting human is not how Supertroopers are supposed to act. It's a sign of weakness.

At that moment I didn't care.

"I'm okay Goose," Billy hugged me back tightly, maybe he sensed how I felt. "Thanks to you."

"You have to be careful," I warned him as I pulled away. "Kilbane's crazy. They're all crazy."

"Except for you," Billy said.

"I'm the exception the proves the rule," I told him. "I'm just nuts in a different way."

Billy hugged me again and I hugged back. I admit it. I liked it. "I couldn't save your father," I whispered. "But I promise I'll protect you."

Long story short the Supertroopers got away but we did manage to rescue the miner and keep the star stones out of their hands. Once again we saved the day.

Yippee.

I wouldn't let Billy out of my sight even after we boarded the ship to take us home. I must have acted more agitated than I thought because when we were alone the Captain was giving me a look that said 'Spill it or Else'. I decided the partial truth couldn't hurt.

"Kilbane actually tried to kill Billy," I let out a breath. "I can't believe he would do that."

"You **can't?**" Zach was stunned. "Gooseman the man is a maniac with a vendetta against you. Of **course** he'd try to do what he did."

"You don't understand Captain," I told him. "Back at Wolf Den the one thing Kilbane loved more than anything, more than himself was Max. He was the only person willing to give him a chance. He saved his butt from the Freezer on more than one occasion. Kilbane worshiped him. He would have done anything for Max. When he left I think he took it even harder than I did. It was the only thing we agreed on. When they took away Max they took away Kilbane's only real friend."

I closed my eyes feeling a coldness inside of me. "But if he could do that…Could try to destroy the one thing Max left behind…Then there's nothing good left inside of him. There's nothing worth saving. All this time as much as I hated Kilbane for all the damage he's done and the crap he put me through…There was a part of me that hoped…That there was some small part of him…Just a small bit of goodness left in him."

I opened my eyes and made my decision. "But there's nothing left inside him now but darkness and hate. I know that now. I can't let him hurt anyone else anymore. What he's become…Is everything Max fought so hard **against**. He's a disgrace to Max's memory."

I must have scared the hell out of Zach when I said that. "Just don't you follow the same path," He warned me softly.

"No," I made a fist, strengthening my resolve. "I will **never** be like him. Never."

"I won't let you," Zach said gently putting his hand on my shoulder.

I nodded in agreement. Just that brief touch, that instance of human contact calmed me somewhat. It reminded me that I had friends. Real friends who keep me sane.

That's the biggest difference between us, Kilbane. You turned everyone who ever wanted to help or befriend you away. Especially me. I don't know why you hate me so much. No matter how hard I tried to be your friend you it was never enough for you.

I'm through trying.

I'm going to hunt you down and stop you if it's the last thing I do.

And I won't shed a tear or feel guilty doing it.

I'll shove you into the Cryocrypt myself if that's what it takes to keep you from hurting anyone ever again.

I've finally figured out what everyone else knew all along.

You're a lost cause, Kilbane.

I don't know why it took me so long to realize it. But I finally have.

Next time…No mercy.

I won't kill you Kilbane if I can help it. That's not what Max would have wanted.

But more importantly freezing you would be worse. That's the one thing a Supertrooper fears most in the world. And it will hurt you a lot more than killing you.

No mercy for lost causes.


End file.
